After a rear-end car collision, a female motorist is entitled to receive over 4,000 in compensation.
The 45-year-old driver, from Southampton, was on her way to visit her elderly mother who she cared for, when the
car accident happened.
She was travelling along the motorway when her Peugeot 306 was suddenly shunted from behind by a Ford Focus, thus causing her to sustain personal injuries in the car accident.
After a police report into the road accident was conducted, it was found that an SUV was travelling too closely behind the Ford focus when it slowed to let a car in front move into the neighbouring lane. The SUV, being a particularly heavy vehicle, collided into the back of the Ford Focus with tremendous force and sent it hurtling into the Peugeot 306.
Fortunately, the woman's car was installed with a frontal airbag otherwise she could have sustained even more serious injuries to her chest or head.
However, the woman did receive a minor burn injury to her face caused by the hot gas which is used to inflate the airbag. She also suffered a broken arm as she had her arms across the steering wheel, where the airbag deploys with speed.
Treatment after the crash
The driver was taken to hospital where her
personal injuries were diagnosed and treated. After further investigation, a doctor also determined that she had suffered a whiplash injury. He prescribed her with anti-inflammatory pain killers and advised that she apply a cold compress to the neck area to decrease swelling.
The 45-year-old's injuries meant that she could not work, drive or look after her mother properly for a number of weeks. Social services had to supply a temporary carer which her mother found distressing. The woman found the whole ordeal very upsetting and sought compensation for her injuries, the inconvenience she had suffered and also the earnings she had lost.
The woman took advice from her son to seek compensation and was directed to a legal firm, which took on a
no win no fee accident claim on her behalf. The case was settled out of court and the help from the firm led to a 4,500 compensation claim, which the woman received in full.
In addition to the news, a report has indicated that despite the rise of uninsured drivers on the roads, injured motorists and pedestrians can still be able to win compensation if they are affected by a car accident.
As recent research suggests that there are almost 2 million uninsured drivers on UK roads, leading legal specialists are reminding motorists they can still pursue a compensation claim, if they are involved in an accident with someone who is driving without insurance.
Uninsured drivers won't dampen claims
Research revealed by the Motor Insurers' Bureau - which compensates people in accidents with uninsured drivers - estimates that over 1.7 million people drove without cover in 2008. But personal injury specialists at a legal firm are not surprised by the high figure.
Matthew Evans, a partner at the legal firm, said: "For years we have dealt with accident claims involving uninsured drivers. Whilst insurance is there to protect other drivers on the road as well as the individual, we have noticed more and claims being made where the other driver has not been insured."
He said the fact that someone is uninsured can complicate the process of claiming, but it does not prevent an injured party pursuing a
compensation claim through the Motor Insurer's Bureau.
He added: "It seems grossly unfair that a motorist who has done nothing wrong could suffer an injury which causes them pain and suffering - and potentially lost earnings - but is unable to recover damages because an individual was uninsured. We have an excellent record of pursuing successful compensation claims in incidents like these, where the other party has no insurance policy in place."
He also said: "This is really about what's fair and proper - after all, it is the motorist who is affected by an
accident and it is only right that they are able to claim a fair amount of compensation."
